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New Friday Dance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

It’s Friday — and you know what that means. It’s time for a brand, spankin’ new Friday Dance to help kick off your weekend!Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Severe storm risk Saturday as pattern change begins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Record highs were absolutely smashed today. As of 2 p.m. we've already hit 106º, beating the previous record of 102º back in 2019. We'll likely end up around 108-109º when the official numbers come in early this evening.Skies will stay sunny to wrap up the day with a mostly clear sky this evening. Some patchy low clouds may return to start the morning. Overnight lows will be warm again with lows in the upper 70s. It'll be the warmest night for at least the next week.Weekend forecastA westerly shift in the heat dome will allow a few disturbances to clip parts of northeast Texas, potentially bringing a few spotty showers and isolated storms into our area Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's storm chances look higher for the Austin Metro, whereas Sunday's rain chances look highest in the Hill Country. Rain coverage won't get everyone wet, but some spotty downpours should bring some of us beneficial rain.Storms possible Saturday and SundayThe storms on Saturday come with a s...

Poll: Majority of Texas voters support border buoy barrier

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A recent poll, partially focused on border policy, asked Texas voters to assess Texas’ policies on the border with Mexico, including the buoys in the Rio Grande River. The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin conducted the poll.The poll found a majority of Texas voters (52%) supported “placing buoys and barbed wire at the Rio Grande River to deter migration” while 40% of voters opposed.According to the poll, among Republicans, 88% supported the policy, with 73% expressing strong support, and 10% opposed it. The poll also found that among Democrats, 18% supported the policy and 74% expressed opposition. RELATED: Border buoy barrier in Rio Grande allowed to remain after state appeals ruling A federal judge recently ordered Texas to remove the buoys after the state was sued by the federal government, but the buoys will remain in place while an appeal from the state moves forward.

Alabama has lost at home 6 times in 16 years. Can the Longhorns make it 7?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — "We have to leave the fear here in Austin."No. 11 Texas hits the road to take on No. 3 Alabama on Saturday, and against a Crimson Tide program with a 99-6 record at home since 2008, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said there's simply no room to be intimidated by the atmosphere at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Longhorns take on the Tide No. 11 Texas vs. No. 3 Alabama, 6 p.m., Saturday Sarkisian ‘had all intentions’ of playing Arch Manning … .cls-4{fill:#000;} Horns Pregame Southeastern Showdown: Getting you … .cls-3{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Coaching at Alabama gave Steve Sarkisian the opportunity … .cls-3{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} ‘B...

UT Austin names Darden Smith its inaugural Texas Songwriter in Residence program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The University of Texas Austin named Texas-based musician and artist Darden Smith was named the first recipient of the new songwriter in residence program UT, according to a news release from the university.The program, which is housed in the College of Fine Arts, is part of the university's efforts to expand live music experiences while integrating the campus community into Austin’s vibrant live music community and economy, the release said.“The location of our University is significant. Being in the heart of Austin creates collisions and synergy with industry, intellectual pursuits, and the arts, including live music. UT has been a big part of making Austin the live music capital of the world, including the talent that is gathered on the Forty Acres or launched from it. I am truly excited that one of those talented artists, alumnus Darden Smith, will interact with our students as our resident songwriter, passing on his life lessons as a UT student and successful m...

University of Texas announces new off-campus lab as advancement of life sciences in Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) will build a new 10,000-square-foot lab facility at the Parmer Austin site on Center Lake Drive in North Austin, according to a Wednesday press release issued by UT Austin and project partner Karlin Real Estate.The facility will house UT Austin's research commercialization team, Discovery to Impact, which will manage the facility. But the most exciting occupants will be life science startups.“This is a great day for the University and Discovery to Impact,” said UT Austin President Jay Hartzell in the release. “Austin is poised to become the next major hub for life sciences, and I am thrilled that UT and Karlin can be at the forefront of this movement and make an enormous impact on the city and the world.” Project developer Karlin previously built a life sciences "superhub" in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park in 2020. Locally, the Parmer Austin site is also home to "over 2 million square feet of innovation," includ...

Golden Thyme Cafe sold to Rondo Land Trust for pop-up, incubator effort

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

Mychael and Stephanie Wright, founders of the Selby Avenue Jazz Fest, recently announced they were selling the longstanding Golden Thyme Coffee and Cafe on Selby Avenue. They declined at the time to disclose who the buyer was.The secret’s now out. The Wrights this week confirmed they are parting with Golden Thyme after 24 years on Selby Avenue, but the coffee shop — a beehive of Black culture and community activity — is expected to continue in the hands of the Rondo Community Land Trust. The goal is to expand the existing coffee shop into “Golden Thyme Presents,” a pop-up and incubator space driven by short- and long-term leases with restaurateurs and food vendors of color.Sammy McDowell, proprietor of Avenue Eatery, which has run cafes and catering businesses in both North and Northeast Minneapolis, plans to be among the first temporary occupants on Oct. 1.The Wrights “were ready to retire and didn’t have a succession plan,” said E. C...

St. Paul seeks 250 volunteers to build Dunning Park playground

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

St. Paul Parks and Recreation is looking for 250 volunteers to help build a new playground on Marshall Avenue.Major work on the future Dunning Park playground at 1221 Marshall Ave. is expected to take three days of labor to come together, with shifts scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 11, 12 and 13, a Wednesday through Friday. The majority of volunteers are needed on the final day, and yes, this is work with a deadline: a ribbon-cutting ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 13.The build is being organized with the St. Paul Parks Conservancy, major funders Sierra and UnitedHealthcare, and project partners KABOOM!, a non-profit that works to build playgrounds in underserved communities. The equipment was purchased from Landscape Structures of Delano.“KABOOM!’s role is to facilitate private fundraising,” said Parks and Rec Director Andy Rodriguez. “They help us find private partners to contribute financially, so no city funds will be used ...

Lawmakers propose bills to address asylum seeker situation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--There is a chance state lawmakers could be back in Albany before January."With respect to a special session, certainly I’m entertaining all of our options right now. We are working closely with the mayor," said Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday.This is something New York State Republicans want in order to further address the asylum seeker situation. Republican Senator, Jim Tedisco, is sponsoring legislation that would require New York City to give advance notice and get approval from communities before relocating migrants."I think it should be a choice up to the elected officials by the constituents in that community," said Tedisco. "And I really hope that what they don’t do is to try to provide an unconditional mandate to take control of local autonomy on this."Tedisco announced Utica’s Democratic Assemblymember, Marianne Buttenshon, will be sponsoring this bill as well. It’s quite different from what Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar is sponsoring."The first o...

NYS AG reaches agreement on insulin price cap

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:22 GMT

ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – Attorney General Letitia James announced on Friday, September 8 that she has reached an agreement with one of the nation's largest insulin providers to help make insulin more affordable for the uninsured. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! James announced that she has secured an agreement with Novo Nordisk, one of the nation’s largest insulin providers, to cap prices of insulin at $35 per monthly prescription for uninsured New Yorkers for the next five years. The agreement also requires the company to implement a program with pharmacies to automatically let uninsured patients know before they pay that they are eligible for the insulin cap.“New Yorkers who rely on lifesaving medication like insulin should not have to ration their doses or forgo taking their medicine altogether because they cannot afford it,” James said in a statement. “Today’s agreement will mean that uninsured New Yorkers do not have to choose...